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. 2015 Mar 20:5:9323.
doi: 10.1038/srep09323.

The relationship between lower limb bone and muscle in military recruits, response to physical training, and influence of smoking status

Zudin Puthucheary  1 , Mehdi Kordi  2 , Jai Rawal  3 , Kyriacos I Eleftheriou  4 , John Payne  5 , Hugh E Montgomery  3
Affiliations

The relationship between lower limb bone and muscle in military recruits, response to physical training, and influence of smoking status

Zudin Puthucheary et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

The relationship between bone and skeletal muscle mass may be affected by physical training. No studies have prospectively examined the bone and skeletal muscle responses to a short controlled exercise-training programme. We hypothesised that a short exercise-training period would affect muscle and bone mass together.

Methods: Femoral bone and Rectus femoris Volumes (RFVOL) were determined by magnetic resonance imaging in 215 healthy army recruits, and bone mineral density (BMD) by Dual X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA) and repeated after 12 weeks of regulated physical training.

Results: Pre-training, RFVOL was smaller in smokers than non-smokers (100.9 ± 20.2 vs. 108.7 ± 24.5, p = 0.018; 96.2 ± 16.9 vs. 104.8 ± 21.3, p = 0.002 for dominant/non-dominant limbs), although increases in RFVOL with training (of 14.2 ± 14.5% and 13.2 ± 15.6%] respectively, p < 0.001) were independent of prior smoking status. Pre-training RFVOL was related to bone cortical volume (r(2) = 0.21 and 0.30, p < 0.001 for dominant and non-dominant legs), and specifically to periosteal (r(2) = 0.21 and 0.23, p < 0.001) volume. Pre-training dominant RFVOL was independently associated with Total Hip BMD (p < 0.001). Training-related increases in RFVOL and bone volumes were related. Whilst smokers demonstrated lower muscle mass than non-smokers, differences were abolished with training. Training-related increases in muscle mass were related to increases in periosteal bone volume in both dominant and non-dominant legs.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Flowchart of paired muscle and bone image analysis subcohort.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Change in rectus femoris muscle volume with military training, in dominant and non-dominant limbs.
* denotes p < 0.05. Box and Whisker plots are of median and range.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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